Doctors Removed Wrong Body Part from Cancer Patient

June 25, 2019:

An Australian health official has ordered an urgent investigation into a Sydney hospital after surgeons removed the wrong body part from a cancer patient last week.

The male cancer patient was admitted to the Northern Beaches Hospital, in Frenchs Forest, New South Wales, for colorectal surgery at the public-private hospital, when physicians removed the wrong side of his bowel.

It is understood that a mix-up in the man’s pathology results, processed by a private contractor, may have contributed to the serious surgical error.

The patient underwent corrective surgery Friday & the cause of his botched procedure is being investigated.

“The patient & their family have been provided full disclosure & NBH is supporting their ongoing care & treatment,” a hospital spokesman told Australian Associated Press.

‘Serious event’ New South Wales (NSW) Health Minister Brad Hazzard released a statement Monday morning confirming that he had been made aware of the “serious event involving surgery on a patient” at the $600 million hospital, which has been plagued by growing pains since opening late last year.

“Immediately upon being advised of this issue, I instructed NSW Health to liaise with Northern Beaches Hospital to ensure that all support possible for the patient & for the patient’s family would be available,” Hazzard said. “In such situations, there are investigative processes & those must proceed to their conclusion before any further comment can be made.”

Hazzard said the patient’s privacy “must be respected” but pointed to claims made by the hospital that there were issues with the pathology results provided to surgeons.

Chronic problems Since its opening in October last year, the Northern Beaches Hospital has been plagued with problems concerning patient safety, understaffing & shortages of medical equipment & vital medications.

The 488-bed hospital is a 60 percent public & 40 percent private establishment.

A senior executive at the hospital, director of operations Pat Taurins, was made redundant this week, sparking serious concerns about the hospital’s alleged “shake-up,” according to the Daily Telegraph.

Taurins is the fifth senior executive to leave the hospital since its opening.

An internal email, obtained by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation last year, found that a senior hospital staff member resigned from his role, citing “fundamental systemic failings in the way the hospital has been set up & is currently running.”

“Let me be clear these are NOT ‘teething problems,’” the staff member wrote in his email. “The hospital currently fails completely in its primary objective of patient safety.”

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